Lee to counter opposition party’s ’populist’ election pledges
President Lee Myung-bak is determined to more actively raise counterarguments against the opposition camp's push for the abolition of a free trade agreement with the U.S., social welfare pledges and other policies he has called populist ahead of April's general elections, Lee's aides said Sunday.
In his special news conference slated to begin at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Lee will speak out against the main opposition Democratic United Party's latest election pledges against the U.S. FTA, March's nuclear security summit in Seoul, construction of additional nuclear power plants and construction of a new naval base on Jeju Island, said the aides.
During the upcoming news conference that marks the fourth anniversary of his inauguration, the president will also outline policies for his final year in office. By law, Lee is not allowed to seek reelection after his five-year term ends.
"Lee will openly talk about his feelings over his four years in office and plans for the remaining term," a key presidential aide told reporters, asking for anonymity, as the final agenda has not yet been confirmed. "In particular, (Lee) is expected to make straightforward remarks on the opposition party's flip-flopping on the South Korea-U.S. FTA and the Jeju naval base."
The DUP has been drumming up their campaign against the Lee administration over its unilateral ratification of the FTA with the U.S. late last year and a bid to build a naval base in the southern resort island.
The trade accord, which is set to take effect shortly, was initially signed in 2007 under Lee's liberal predecessor Roh Moo-hyun and ratified in November last year. The DUP, which was in power under Roh, strongly raised objections to the bill, claiming it favors the United States.
A special bill to build a naval base on Jeju was passed in 2007, but its construction began last year after years of delay due to opposition from local residents and environmentalists.
"A number of the Lee Myung-bak government's policies actually originated from the Roh Moo-hyun government as well as the predecessor of the DUP. But the opposition is now diametrically changing its position. The situation can no longer be tolerated," said the aide.
Lee is also expected to criticize political parties' populist pledges designed to win votes in the April polls, as several bills pending in parliament have come under attack for wasting taxpayers' money and bending rules for election victory.
Lee earlier said the government should scrutinize and respond actively to pork-barrel legislation aimed at gaining votes ahead of the parliamentary elections, mentioning a special bill to reimburse victims of the nation's troubled savings banks for their lost deposits.(Yonhap)